We woke up early. We felt good. We felt well rested. We decided we wanted to do something with our day. We wanted to spend time out in the great outdoors and not cooped up in the house. We wanted to show Scout some things she's not seen before. So, we decided to pack a picnic and a stroller and go to McKinney Falls and look at the foliage.

She listened to the airplanes that flew overhead. She listened to the birds in the trees. She listened to the leaves as they blew across the path. She listened to the wind in the trees. She listened to the water as it flowed in the creek. She listened to the children swimming in the falls.

She watched the puppies play in the park. She watched the families as they walked down the path. She watched her mom scream with excitement and surprise after almost stepping on two snakes. She watched her daddy explain that snakes are our friends and we shouldn't be afraid of them.

We taught her things. We read to her. We showed her primrose and cactus. We stopped and looked at ferns. We stopped and looked at Juniper trees. We watched the snakes cross the path and hissssssssssed at them. We showed her the brown leaves and the orange leaves and the red and yellow ones.

We discussed birch trees and I told him the story about the birch tree that was in my childhood neighbor's yard. And how much I loved them. He told me he wants to take walks with her more often like this, so he can impart in her the wisdom and confidence that came with growing up in the country with a dad who knew what kinds of grass and plants were growing where and what was edible and what is not. He wants her to know what a prickly pear cactus fruit tastes like. He wants her to not squeal when she almost steps on a snake, but be brave like he is. Maybe someday.